Water ski binding



July 20, 1948. R. E. DRAKE WATER SKI BINDING Filed Aug. 29, 1946 Patented July 20, 1948 UNITED STATES E ATENT OFFICE HATER SKI BINDING Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,733

8 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in water skis and more particularly to a ski binding for supporting and retaining the foot of the wearer in the ski.

The present invention represents an improve ment over the water ski and binding described and covered by Dan B. Hains Patent No. 2,327,783, and owned by the assignee of the present inventlon.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a foot binding for water skis which will securely and comfortably support the foot and at the same time provide automatic adjustment to accommodate various sizes of feet, thus eliminating the need for the additional adjusting elements provided in the patent to Hains.

Another object of the invention is to construct a foot supporting binding for water skis which will support the forward portion of the foot in a resilient vamp and embrace the heel portion with a resilient counter. The vamp and counter portions are discontinuous with the counter completely to encompass the heel and being provided with tension straps adapted to Wrap around the skiers ankle and exert a forward and downward pressure on the skiers foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide tension strap holding members which, when attached to the tension straps. will cause the straps to be held down against the ski, thereby providing maximum downpull on the ankle and foot.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a foot binder for controlled skiing which, while producing maximum support for the heel and ankle, will nevertheless permit the instantecus removal of the foot therefrom.

Another salient feature of the present inven tion is the construction of the resilient counter and its tension straps or members in a manner such that all tension may be relieved when the skis are not in use.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the water ski with the improved ski binding mounted thereon shown supporting the wearers foot;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the relation of the vamp to the counter and showing the manner for detachably securing the tension members of the counter to the ski;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the binding mounted on a portion of a water ski, and further illustrating the manner of attaching the vamp and counter to the ski;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modification showing the holding members for the tension straps which may be attached to the ski if desired, and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the holding members taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated includes a water ski l of any desired size or configuration. Mounted on the ski is a binding which comprises a vamp or forepart 2 and a counter-like member or heel engaging portion 6. The vamp 2 and counter 6 are composed of a flexible stretchable material such as rubber, leather or treated textile.

The side and front sections of the vamp 2 are rigidly attached to the ski l by means of a U-shaped metal clamping strip 3 through which pass a plurality of spaced screws As best shown in Fig. 1, the inner edge of the vamp 2 is fashioned in such a manner as to have an integral upstanding tongue 5, which fits snugly against the upper part of the instep adjacent the ankle. The elongation of the tongue 5 is preferably exaggerated to provide a greater binding surface and also to enable an easier entrance into this section.

The self-adjusting counter 6 is secured by its rear end corners to the ski l by spaced screw and Washer assemblies 1, 1 or other suitable fastoning means. This counter member 6 is provided with integral tension members 8, 8 arranged to extend forwardly over the ankle and adapted to be joined at their forward ends by a rivet or other fastening means 9. The tension straps 8, 8 maybe detachably secured to the ski I at a central point by a hook and eye arrangement 10 and H. The hook i0 is attached to the ski by screws [2, I2 and the eye member II is carried by the rivet 9.

It will be apparent that after the skier has inserted his foot in the vamp member 2 and positioned the tongue thereof against the upper part of his foot, the tension members 8, 8 may be attached to the ski thereby completely wrapping the counter 6 around his ankle and creating more gripping between the binding and the heel than could otherwise be attained. In fact, a very important feature of the present invention is the manner in which the tension members 8, 8 are constructed and arranged so that an even pressure exerted on the wearers foot continuously urges the foot in a forward direction into and against the vamp 2. In addition, the binding exerts a downpull on the skiers ankle and heel; thereby holding the foot down more firmly against the ski I. It is this flexible, resilient construction of the counter 6 and the extreme length of the tension members 8, 8 which to various sizes of feet and insures long life for Normal. use requires these binding members. only about 10% elongation of the tension straps, which, if manufactured on a good grade of'rubber, would suifer no appreciable permanent stretch effect if ordinarily used at 100% elongation. In addition, the detachable connection for the tension straps 8, 8 enables all tension to be relieved. when; the :skisare. not in use;

In water skiing-:the; surfaeebetween the gloss enamel'of the ski and the-skiers bare, foot often becomes lubricated with water, thereby presenting a very;slippery-and dangerous condition. In order to eliminate this condition a friction surface I 3, may be cemented or otherwise secured to the ski. in. the-area normally contacted by the skiers heel. The friction. surface 13 may be a pad or sheet of non-skid, rubber mattingor'may' consist of any other suitable material such as non-skid: decking, which contains a grit' in a plastic base.

It: is a salient advantage of. this invention that while the ski binding supportsthe foot in a firm.

snug. manner, giving ample security, yet when the wearer desiresto remove his foot from the binding he may. do so' instantly by-an easy, quick pull dueto. the resiliency and flexibility of the vamp 2 and: counter 6.

All of the=above features. areessential: to controlled skiing suchas'jumping, slalom, running, etc., and are equally advantageous to the beginner.

If a. maximum downpull on the ankle is de-.-

sired, a tension strap holding member 20 may be provided, asshown inFigs. 4 and 5. The form illustrated comprises-an upstanding, inwardly inclined metal strip provided with an outwardly curved portion 22 adapted to hook over one ofthe tension straps 8, thus causing the strap to beheld down against the ski, and thereby providing maximum downpullon the ankleand foot. The holding members 20, 20 may be attached to the U-shaped' strip: i i-adjacent its rear ends by utilizing corresponding side-screws 4, 4, as illustrated best in Fig. It is tobeunderstood'that this is optional holding equipment and is -not necessary for the proper functioning of the-bindingof the inventionbut may be utilized if greater pressure is'desiredr It is believed" that the many advantages of a ski binding constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device has been illustrated and described,it is' tobe understood that changes in the detail of: construction, and in'the combination and arrangements of parts; may be made'within the scope of' the invention as claimed;

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a water ski, a binding comprising a resilient vamp portion secured by its lower edge to the water ski, and a resilient counter portion having its rear edge secured to said ski and including integral tension members extending forwardly along opposite sides of the vamp portion and secured to the ski in advance of said vamp portion.

2. In combination with a water ski, a binding comprising a flexible resilient vamp portion having its front and side lower edges secured to the Water ski, a flexible resilient counter portion having its rear edge secured to said ski, said counter being provided with integral tension members extending around the vamp, and means for joining together said members and securing them to the ski forwardly of the vamp.

3. In combination with a water ski, a binding comprising a flexible resilient vamp portion secured tothe waterski, a flexible resilient counter portion having its rear edge secured to said ski, said counter being provided with integral tensionmembers extending around the vamp and joined together forwardly of the vamp, and means for detachably, securing the tension members to the ski in advance of the vamp.

4. A Water ski comprising a substantially flat horizontal ski surface and a foot binding thereon, said binding comprising a resilient vamp portion secured to said ski surface and a resilient heel engaging portion having its rear edge secured to said ski surface and including integral tension members extending around the vamp portion and joined at apoint forward of the vamp, and means for detachablysecuring the tension members to the ski, said tension members when so attached being adaptable to exert a forward and downward pressure on the wearers foot.

5. In combinationwith a water ski, a binding comprising a resilient vamp portion secured to the water ski, a resilient counter portion having its rear. edge secured to said ski and including integraltension members extending forwardly along opposite sides of the vamp portion and secured to the ski in advance of said vamp, holding members for said tension members comprising upstanding, inwardly inclined metal strips with bent portions constructed and arranged to hook over: the-tension members alongside the vamp portion, and means for attaching said holding members to the water ski.

6. In combination with a water ski, a binding comprising a flexible resilient vamp adapted to cover theupper forepart of a foot and secured by its lower edge to the ski, and a flexible counter adaptedtoengage the upper-part of the heel of the-foot and secured by its lower rear edge to the ski, said counter including a pair of flexible resili'ent tension straps extending forwardly along opposite sides of the vamp and secured to the ski at a central point in advance of said vamp.

7. In combination with a water ski, a binding comprisinga rubber vamp adapted to cover the upper forepart of a foot and secured by its lower edge to the ski, a rubber counter adapted to engage the upper part of the heel of the foot and secured by its lower rear edge to the ski, said counter including an integral pair of rubber tension straps extending forwardly along opposite sides of the vamp, fastening means joiningthe forward ends of said tension straps, and a hook and eye arrangement fordetachably securing'the joined endsof said tension straps to 'a' central point of the ski spaced to produce elongation of said straps when the foot is in the binding.

8. In combination with a water ski, a binding comprising a flexible vamp member adapted to cover the upper forepart of a foot and secured by its lower edge to the ski, and a flexible counter member adapted to engage and conform to the upper part of the heel of the foot and secured by its lower edge to the ski, said counter member including a pair of flexible straps extending forwardly along opposite sides of the vamp member and secured to the ski at a central point in advance of said vamp member, and said counter member being so constructed and so spaced rela Number Name Date 1,571,462 Waldron et a1. Feb. 2, 1926 2,327,783 Hains Aug. 24, 1948 2,382,149 Hartman Aug. 14, 1945 Z/llZA'l Scott-Paine et a1. Dec. 10, 1945 

